What kind of houses did the mandan live in?

Answer 1

The Mandans and their neighbours the Hidatsa and Arikara all lived in semi-permanent fortified villages of earth lodges, meaning that they were not true Plains nomads although they did hunt buffalo occasionally.

Mandan earth lodges were built over a large circular pit about 18 to 24 inches deep, creating a sunken floor. Four central posts 12 or 15 feet tall were set up in the middle and many shorter posts were erected all around the circumference. Horizontal beams connected the tops of the centre posts, then radiating rafters were laid reaching from the middle to the outer ring of posts, leaving a smoke hole in the middle.

The rafters were then covered with willow branches, dry grass and turfs before the entire structure was plastered over with waterproof clay. An entrance porch gave the lodge the appearance of a clay igloo; 10 or more people could comfortably live inside, often with prized horses as well.

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Answer 2

They lived in houses called lodges.